Off Target?

Local archers are claiming West Pasadena residents opposed to a range in the Lower Arroyo Seco are circulating a petition aimed at misleading the public.

Posted at http:stewardsofpublicland.org, the petition claims that the city is considering turning over 18 acres of land to the Pasadena Roving Archers for the group’s exclusive use.

“The City of Pasadena has been in negotiations for some years to turn 18 of the most prized natural oak woodland acres on the west side of the Lower Arroyo over to a special interest group for their exclusive use,” reads the petition. “Negotiations have been primarily between the City and the Pasadena Roving Archers (PRA) but also includes non-PRA archers as well. Their exclusive use eliminates all of the rest of us — walkers, joggers, dog walkers, equestrians, birders, etc.”

The petition is signed by La Casita Foundation President Tom Seifert, Arroyo Seco Foundation head Tim Brick, former PCC Board of Trustees candidate Dianne Philibosian, local author and preservationist Ann Scheid and activist Claire Bogaard, wife of Mayor Bill Bogaard. It was not immediately known how many others have signed the petition.

On Sept. 15, the council will vote on a new agreement between the city and the PRA, which calls for the PRA to conduct training classes, take out a $1 million liability insurance policy and increase revenue made from the range.

PRA members say that the range is only eight acres and point out the area has been used as an archery range since the 1930s. The city already prohibits hiking and dog walking through the range.

Roving Archers Vice President Terri Ashley-MacQuarrie said the group was “extremely disappointed” with the statements on the petition.

“The new agreement does not take away a single inch of land,” Ashley-MacQuarrie said. “Walking, dog walking, birding, painting, photography and all the other activities that people enjoy in the Lower Arroyo will continue without interruption — on the hiking trails that wind around the outside of the archery range. There are no hiking trails through the range. Picnicking and hiking through the range is already prohibited by law. It is posted on signs in the park: ‘No one may walk on the range between archers and their targets.’”

The archers have started their own petition, which has been signed by 1,500 people. That petition is at change.org. Search for Pasadena Roving Archers.

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Comments

The true size of the archery range is about half of what they claim!

And their claim that the agreement would “permanently prohibit walking, jogging, dog-walking, birding and other forms of enjoyment of nature on the West side of the Lower Arroyo” is an outrageous fiction.

One would think that the first step to being a “Steward” of public land is to honestly report how public land is being used! This group utterly fails that simple test.

For a more thorough discussion of the ridiculous claims made by these self-appointed “Stewards” visit PasadenaArchery.com

posted by AaronK on 8/29/14 @ 12:12 a.m.

For more information about how Tim Brick always seems to side with those who play fast and loose with the facts, all one need do is a historic review of the former RBOC "mini-me," also known as the long defunct Hahamongna Operating Company, where he was the officially unqualified, back-room appointed chief crony of a City-Hall racket intended to desecrate the upper Arroyo into an amusement-park attraction.

Just ask Hugh Bowles.

If you really want to know who the desecraters-of-truth are (who are still ensconced in the rat-hole hideaways of City Government), just find out who the insider-crony-companions of TB are.